Magnetism
by xxIcyAngelxx
Summary: If she was mistaking love for gratitude, then he forever masked his with duty. The night before her wedding, he took her away. Neji/Hinata
1. scene i

_Multi-chap fic. This was in my head for a while and I wanted some sort of political resolution in the Hyuuga clan. So it came out to this._

* * *

**scene i**

His heart was hers the day they met and it wouldn't die even with a ring on her finger.

* * *

His eyes are always drawn to the sky.

When they see his gaze heavenward, forever wanting it, they look away.

But even if the sky and birds enchant him, another can easily capture his attention.

A soft hand touched his face and gently forced him to look down, at bottomless snow-white eyes and all over again, he's captivated. "Neji," she called so quietly he had to lean down closer. "We have to leave by sunset," she reminded and he suddenly remembered their mission.

He nodded and as she leads him away under a towering tree that will surely block the sky, Neji finds he doesn't really care anymore.

There's a reason he walked the earth and she reminded him so often.

…

No one talked about how fiercely protective Neji was of her.

All talk is smothered in sweetness and profound respect for his devotion. They assumed so because no one had actually witnessed it. They glimpsed it among his companions when they focus on Hinata, but they don't think it counts because his ties to friendship constrained the aggressiveness in him. The women roll their eyes and say, "She can protect herself," which was true, but Neji didn't like it when she was covered in bruises. He tolerated it only because she chose to and when he's bandaging her wounds and sees the dark bruises, he vowed the next foe would suffer twice as much.

Outside the village walls, only the ones who had managed to get away knew of his cruelty and the enigma that was his mistress.

One nin made the mistake of stumbling upon them in an undisclosed location.

She was alone but no one could mistake her lineage. She was examining scrolls and his priority was to capture any member from the noble clan of Konoha. He stepped out of the shadows and she quickly raised her palms, engulfed in blue chakra. "Who are you?" she demanded.

Her voice was too soft to rank any higher than the previous ones he disposed of. "Another Hyuuga servant?" he grunted.

Her lips were set in a line and he could easily predict her movements. She watched him wearily, her eerie white stare making his skin crawl.

He struck before she could activate her bloodline. He appeared in front of her to deliver a blow to her face; Neji caught it with a crushing grip so fast the man suddenly fell to the ground, screaming from a twisted limb. Before Neji could do more, he rolled away in a crouch and cursed; another male Hyuuga stood beside her, gazing down with a deathly stillness, and he can suddenly tell the woman was important.

"Hinata?"

She stared down. He waited with baited breath. Except all she did was to shake her head once and it was barely perceptible. At once, the dark fog in his head cleared and Neji eased back.

He spat at her feet. Neji crushed his skull to the ground. "Don't," was the only threat. He struggled to escape the grip and knowing his demise was near, lifted a finger crudely. For which Neji grabbed hold of and bent his arm unnaturally. Wretched screams couldn't echo far enough because his head slammed back down. "I should kill you." But he didn't, biding his time.

All the while, Hinata watched with a troubled look. Neji contained his fury, all movements executed with precision. If he wanted to, the body would be mangled by now. "Neji," she implored.

And the man watched as she reached to wipe the blood off his cheek and he was staring at her so intensely. "Don't stop me, Hinata."

It was suddenly clear to him. "You're just another Hyuuga dog," he rasped and the air left him with a kunai planted in his heart.

She was frowning. His hand skimmed down, brushing away her fingers from his pouch, and Neji carefully hid away other weapons. He led her away, gentle and adoring, as if the madness in him couldn't touch her.

…

When they returned, she was immediately escorted to the Main House.

"Hanabi-sama," he greeted.

"Neji-niisan." She stopped beside him to observe servants rushing to complete tasks. "The Elders are displeased." When his brows furrowed, she continued, "My sister is protesting against the unfairness of the Main House to the Branch family."

"She plans to dissolve the segregation?" he asked disbelievingly.

Hanabi nodded. "She's been arguing with them for some time now."

And she hadn't told him. It was suddenly clear to him why she constantly needed him for the past few weeks. He wanted to storm in, fight the guards until they surrendered before the Main House to show his power and displeasure. "What are Hiashi-sama's thoughts?"

"I don't know. Father usually just mediates between them." Which meant anything was possible. "I think he's testing her. Do you think she can accomplish it?"

He wanted the barriers abolished, to rid the tradition of imprinting the cursed seal, for the Branch family to be regarded as humans more than sacrifices and servants. "She will."

Hanabi sighed. "At the cost of her hand in marriage. You know about it, right, Neji-niisan?"

The world fell apart and darkness closed in around him.

He abruptly stood. "Excuse me."

...

No other words could weave her beauty. It was not the first time he witnessed it. She had rejected others before dressed in silk and face paint, but this was different. They reached an agreement, the rumors said, and their lady Hinata compromised to wed her next suitor to free the Branch family. And Neji arrived to confront him.

He watched with growing annoyance as the man kissed her hand in greeting. Hinata quickly drew her hand back. Whatever they were saying, Hinata chose to wander the pavilion, the suitor trailing behind her, his forehead unmarked. Neji scoffed. Hinata desired an equal, one who did not bow down to the hierarchy. It was a slow walk and his temper spiked when growing vines temporarily obscured them. He rounded the bridge, willing the Byakugan.

Kou barred him from entering.

Their eyes met and he interpreted it as a challenge.

"Neji," he said. "You are not needed here."

On the surface, it was assumed their birth roles conditioned him to serve her and there was some truth in that. But he was not bound to her by duty and they both knew it.

"Hinata-sama cannot see you," he said. "Leave before she notices."

Neji paused. So even Kou knew their bond threatened the Elder's arrangements. "I am waiting for her," he said, eyes darting back.

But that's not why he was here. Already the man failed to measure up to her worth. Beyond him, she was smiling and it angered him that the man has become more enamored with her. But she's drawing away from him and there's a brief respite. He could never forget she was unwilling and to resist meant condemnation. Then all thought vanished when Neji saw his eyes drop to her figure and he sees red.

Kou wrestled him to the ground. They fought; bones broke and skins bruised, all necessary to keep him from interfering. Neji was impatient and Kou bore through it. It wasn't a battle of strengths because he yielded the moment the older man snarled, "You will compromise Hinata-sama's position."

He still had his pride, so Neji doesn't relent his grip. He watched the melancholy in her eyes, always searching for something out of her reach. Kou shoved him away and Neji allowed it so he could stand.

"I care for her too," he said firmly and it doesn't bother Neji. Those allied with her aren't his enemies. He's almost apologetic for the fight because he was unscathed. "But I will not allow you to carelessly hinder it and force the Elders to hasten her arrangements. They are wary of you. But you cannot be separated from Hinata-sama," the words were said grudgingly. "If you are, then there is no chance for her." He had to spit out blood.

Neji grimaced. Hinata wasn't going to be pleased. "They cannot send me away." Because Hiashi's request from long ago barred them from doing so. And if they wanted their heiress happy, he would always remain.

"You are a nin of Konoha," he reminded.

Neji didn't mention his connections to their new Hokage could temporarily halt that. He looked back and saw they were at a distance, farther out of his sight, and he nearly moved forward.

Kou stepped in the way, blocking his view. "Leave. I will do what I can." It was a cold reminder of how powerless they were.

With the ground beneath his feet, Neji turned and walked away, leaving his heart.

* * *

They skirt the issue of marriage and duty. They managed to distract each other well enough. He saw her each day with the sunlight on her skin but she cannot find him when evening comes.

She waited in the darkness. The night air nipped at her fingers. He walked through the gates, his steps restless. The frigid cold didn't bother him as he scoured the area with detached inspection until he met her eyes. "Hinata." A strict line on his mouth. "Why are you here?"

She bit her lip. "I was waiting for you."

"Why?" he gritted.

She stared solemnly and it came rushing back, squeezing his heart. "Are you angry?" she asked. They haven't talked about it and he doesn't want to hear it, but the moment she tried, Neji made an excuse to leave. He cannot escape now; she's shivering and alone, and there was something she needed from him. His defenses fell the moment he saw her. It was easier if she wasn't within his sight so he turned his head.

But even her voice made him twitch, calling for his attention and he fought it. "No."

She went to his front. There was a feral look in his eyes and Hinata thought about it. She hesitated; they were close enough to justify her next action. She went closer in small steps, carefully, because there was a savageness in him barely leashed. She raised her face and felt him stiffen. "I - I'm sorry if I did something wrong."

She noticed his hands were clenched and her palm curiously swept over one, unfolding it and guided it to her hips for a tentative hug. It settled on her back, his fingers splayed possessively, and his breathing was controlled. "You shouldn't be," was his non-committal reply because he was busy staring at her mouth.

"Did you go somewhere?" she asked timidly.

It sounded like a trick question. It was not the first time he came back late, when she's already in bed and asleep. But he humored her anyway. "I did," he said. She shifted with curiosity and he dreaded to hear the pleading in her voice and he continued, "I rented an apartment months ago," he finally said. "I go there when I cannot find peace."

Her eyes glinted in the dark. "Do you go there often?"

"Only for the past few weeks."

"Does anyone else know?" He knew what she was asking and shook his head. She's suddenly hopeful. "Can I come with you next time?"

"Why?"

"I want to," she said bravely and didn't falter when he was quiet.

"As you want."

Her eyes lit up and a smile graced her lips. It was getting uncomfortable and Neji shifted to pull away, reluctant to leave her warmth. She shivered and stayed close, their shoulders touching. Neji looked away. "I don't see you ," was her quiet whisper on the walk back. He struggled to find words and didn't know what to say. "I-I can only rely on you. Please, Neji."

He stared down at her. "Forgive me, Hinata. I had business to attend to, but you are my only concern."

It wasn't just him, Neji realized, because Hinata Hyuuga, the unreachable woman who stood above everyone, grasped the hem of his sleeves, asking him, "Will you promise me?"

"I promise."

…

He often left the compound when her duties increased. Whispers of her upcoming marriage tested his sanity. Distraction came in the form of missions, but he couldn't risk staying away too long, knowing she could easily be taken from him. Each time she asked him when he was leaving again, he could only say, "I will stay."

"I need your assistance," Yamato said one day. "The Sarutobi clan needs an escort for the daughter of one of their officials to Kirigakure."

"No." Another woman, no matter the urgency, held no importance to him. "The Hyuuga are easily recognized."

"That's the problem," he explained. "She wants a Hyuuga."

That meant another Branch member was to be sacrificed and Neji gritted his teeth. "You know I cannot leave the village."

He looked over Neji's shoulder and nodded. "Think about it. I'll take my leave," the older man bade.

Neji turned. Hinata stood there, measuring him. She wasn't angry and dread filled him. "I was wondering where you were," she began. "Forgive me for disturbing." Her long skirt fluttered swiftly as she walked away.

Neji followed. "Hinata," he said. "You are mistaken."

His bones were stiff when she remained quiet and they stopped near the tree lines. She came closer until their toes touched and there's a frown between her brows. "Am I keeping you from your duties?"

"No. The Hokage assigns me to tasks that do not need me outside of Konoha." It was an omission and it mildly pacified him that it wasn't a complete lie. Their time was short and to remain with her as long as he could, Neji made some arrangements.

She still looked uneasy. "Who is the daughter of the official?"

"I don't care to know."

His terse reply nearly made her smile. She was pretty enough to prevent his attention from drifting, Hinata should have known. Neji's hardened gaze swiftly swept her, from head to toe, each time he saw her. Her skin tingled where his eyes heavily wander. It still amazed her; what Neji felt for her was what she once felt for another. Neji was eternally patient, Hinata thought with a pang. But it's difficult; she saw ex-lovers and a lone female friend, all clamoring for his attention. Neji merely brushed them away, but it still made her anxious.

"Is that okay?"

He absently touched her hair. "Of course. I only want you, Hinata," he dismissed.

She needed to be reminded sometimes and when he does, it only strengthened his resolve.

* * *

The day it was announced who she would be wed to, she was in his arms.

She went to him before the news spread and he took her away from the compound. At least here, they didn't need to be careful. They must have known about it, but they had no authority to expel any punishment without Hiashi's command. And their clan Head was inconspicuous. They aren't blind to his devotion. _Love_. However crazed and deep his obsession with their heiress was, only she could calm him. He scoffed. _Control_.

The rumors whispered his madness and it amused him. He heard it all; he wanted her badly enough to kill potential candidates, he slept outside her door, he stalked her morning and night, he stole her virginity and it was the reason of her rushed marriage. He looked past it all. Because even if he did commit those deeds, Hinata would never utter a word against him.

His fingers trailed down, admiring the slender curves of her body. "Freedom," she sighed once.

He wanted freedom too. He needed her to succeed for them both. Dark circles line under her eyes and he stroked the low of her back. Too many duties she had to fulfill and it exhausted her. He remembered one late afternoon when she staggered to his room. He was alarmed and she dropped to his arms. She was muttering, wanting sleep, and he obliged, bringing her to his bed and watched her until she woke. It continued again, the next day, the next week. It was a pattern Neji didn't like, but he begrudgingly admitted it demonstrated Hinata's growing reliance on him.

She was learning to love him and he was learning to hope. She nudged against him, turning in her sleep.

He doesn't hate it. It was just that for every sliver of attention she gave him, it mended his heart instantly. Neji grimaced.

If she knew how much power she held over him, he was ruined.

...

For the past few days, she was getting tired. He saw her napping on the wooden floors. He gathered her to him, her head falling to his chest and it burned. Neji frowned. He knelt, pushing back her bangs. "Hinata," he called. Her head lolled and her breathing was short. He carried her in his arms and hurriedly made his way to her quarters.

Bewildered servants eyed them. "Is Hinata-sama not well?"

Neji ignored them, nudging her slides open with a foot and laid her down. He brushed her brow, slick with sweat. He wasted no time. He barked orders for a wash basin and food to be prepared. He went to her closet and snatched a spare robe. As soon as they placed it inside, he threw the servants out.

"Hinata," he urged and her eyes fluttered. "You must drink." The bowl touched her lips and she managed a hungry sip before turning away. He set it down, using one arm lay her back down. He gathered her hair to one side and wiped her neck.

That night, it was the first time he slept beside her. He nearly questioned why no one came to confront him and Neji darkly thought it wouldn't matter anyway; there was no force that could separate them. Dawn came and he immediately checked for her temperature. Her fever was leaving through sweat. He nearly sighed, mournful that she was unconscious for what he was going to do next.

She burned from fever. The sheets chaff her skin and her body sunk into the mattress. Her robes were parted and something warm wiped down her chest. She tried focusing her gaze. "Neji?"

He grunted, the gentle caress leaving her and the cold retreated when he folded it back over her. He wrung the towel. She tried sitting up and he gently forced her down. "You need to rest, Hinata."

A discreet knock on the screen. "He is inquiring about Hinata-sama," was the whisper. Neji ignored it.

"How long?" she tiredly rasped.

"Just a day."

She went back to sleep. He left to deal with her insistent betrothed.

"She is unavailable," he told him with an unmovable stare.

He doesn't challenge it; there was a reason why their clan Head and heiress favored him. But he also heard whispers of their strange closeness. He guarded her fiercely and he had a feeling his betrothed would never send him away. It's a loveless marriage, but he hoped there was peace between them. "Will you pass this to Hinata-sama?"

Neji doesn't even look. "When she is well."

He wearily nodded and left.

It disdained him, but he had to do something about it. Neji looked down. A hair accessory_. _He crushed the ornament and went back to her room.

She was murmuring something. He grabbed a dry cloth and dabbed her forehead. She sighed, her face softening in sleep. It would be better if time stretched for eternity even if she never woke. Because here, he could pretend she could never leave him.

* * *

He was on one knee to mark the lines on the ground for their training session when she appeared. Her feet shuffled to a stop before him and Neji looked up. It felt strange and all the more ironic. His lips curved wryly. But her features were somber, unsmiling. Her hands touched when she asked him, "How long can you stay?"

He cannot tell if she was expecting something from him. "As long as you want me to."

She walked past him and Neji debated with himself. The doors slid open behind him and incredulous, Neji looked over his shoulder. She was gripping the panels tightly, met his eyes once, and went in deeper. He could never deny her and with a heavy heart, moved to the shadows with her. It closed quietly and they were engulfed in darkness.

Hinata buried her face by his shoulder. "When I am the Head of the clan, I will appoint a new council."

His hands came up, steadying itself on her hips. "They will do as you say."

"I want to unite the clan."

"You will, Hinata."

Her voice pitched higher. "But I cannot do it without marrying him."

Neji stiffened and pulled away. He cannot speak to reassure her because the world was closing in around him again. She caught his sleeve. The soft press of her lips stunned him and he could only stare when she pulled back. Her hand skimmed down his arm and gripped his palm.

He numbly followed her as she guided him back to the bed. The darkness hid the redness of her face and Hinata made sure to stay away from the sunset's glow. She pushed the garment off her shoulders and it slipped down her arms, falling to her waist. She couldn't meet his eyes and his fists clenched. "Why," he managed to rasp. He froze when she took his face and pressed their lips together again. "No, Hinata," he grated, shoving her away. It took all his strength. "We cannot," he continued, running a hand over his mouth, remembering her kiss. "You don't want this."

Her quiet sobs alarmed him. Neji steeled himself. But it didn't take long until his resolve disintegrated when she pleaded his name and he finally relented, gathering her in his arms.

She whispered her wish, _to not be married so soon, not for duty, _and it was muffled but Neji vowed to the gods he would fulfill it.

She slumped, tears streaking and her distress pained him. "It will not end like this, Hinata."

She quieted and succumbed to exhaustion. Her robe crumpled beneath his hands and he treasured the beat of her heart.

...

Fate was cruel, he thought furiously, for the Elders to choose him to deliver their meals. They might have caught onto their heiress' abrupt disappearances after each meeting.

Her eyes were wide when he appeared but it was masked quickly, because her suitor barely paid attention to him. He poured her cup. "Would you like something else, Hinata-sama?" he intoned.

Her eyes darted to him. The need for his presence nearly outweighed the shame he was subjected to. He saved her from deciding by retreating to the corner. If he witnessed any foolhardiness, the easier it would be to eliminate him.

The man eyed him briefly. It was unsettling to converse with her with a heavy gaze on his back. But his betrothed was graceful, paying no mind. "The Elders tell me you enjoy gardening," he began. "The one before us, is it your work?"

She looked over. "It is." He stood, admiring the vast greenery. There was not even a rustle of noise when Neji passed by and with the man's back turned, he reached out to trace her cheek and refrained from ruining the ornaments adorning her hair. His hand fell and he continued on, carrying the empty pot to refill. Hinata chose to sip more tea, quelling her sudden thirst.

When her betrothed turned, her protector vanished. She was beautifully flushed and he found himself moving closer. She was adjusting her robes and he couldn't help himself and reached out. "Hiashi-sama does not approve of inappropriate handling. Refrain from doing so," a dark voice warned and he flinched.

Hinata looked up, almost bewildered. Something passed between them and he couldn't understand it. "I will take my leave," she said abruptly and he nearly shrunk from the rejection.

Neji immediately appeared and offered her a hand. "Allow me to assist you," he murmured and was triumphant when she accepted.

She managed to say over her shoulder, "Enjoy your day." Neji dismissed him without another look and escorted her through the doors. They only made it to the kitchen when Neji grasped her face and kissed her. They don't kiss often. It tested his restraint but as long as she assured him of their connection, he could endure. Plates slipped and broke but they don't notice. Whispers and steps pass the corridor, and they break away and continue on.

His body brimmed with anger. Her robes felt heavy beneath the afternoon sun and she went to her room.

He shoved her against the wall once they were alone and took her mouth.

...

He needed counsel. He considered sharing it with Lee and Tenten, but decided against it. They were too passionate and would likely cause a commotion. What he wanted to accomplish needed reasoning and discretion. He cannot do it himself. There were few in his company that wouldn't question his relations with Hinata.

He went to Naruto. He was a hero of Konoha and it was easier to converse with him because there was someone else in his heart. Hinata doesn't mind; she's been drifting farther away from her affections and now it centered wholly on him.

He leaves out details, but Naruto understood. "She doesn't want to wed. But the Elders are persistent."

"Why can't she just say no?"

"Hinata's position in the clan is not well regarded. To lose face now would mean her defeat."

"Sure, but she always worked hard. They'll recognize it."

He envied such simplicity. "She cannot experience freedom. Her wedding is in a few weeks." He swiftly contained the rage at the thought.

"I heard," Naruto said grimly. "Freedom? Is that what she said?" Neji nodded. "So the Elders only have the power to influence her standing?"

"Yes."

"Then let her do what she wants." Neji frowned. She can postpone her wedding and they can postpone her ascension unless Hiashi deemed it. And so far, the Head remained neutral. "But she will still be the Head of the Hyuuga clan," Naruto mentioned casually. "There's no denying that."

Neji paused. She learned how to navigate the politics of the Hyuuga. She was capable, just inexperienced. And no matter the scandal, she was the undeniable heiress. A right that cannot be changed.

He was right to consult Naruto. They discuss further.

...

He was distracted for the past few weeks. Hinata didn't know why; he was gentle when they're alone and the darkness in his eyes was gone each time they parted. It was as if he was saying his goodbyes. A heavy weight crushed her chest. She asked him, "Are you not happy?" when he didn't kiss her as often.

He paused and leaned down to her mouth. "Only when you are not," he said and it only made her anxious.

When she saw him conversing with Naruto in the shadows, fear gripped her. Their voices are low and it was something serious because Naruto wasn't smiling. She couldn't interfere; he noticed her with a glance and waved her to keep away. She waited, because she had a feeling she wouldn't see him when the day ended.

She rushed to him once he was alone. He received her with a concentrated look in his eyes. As if memorizing her features to memory. "Was it something important?"

He stared at her thoughtfully. His hand rose to hold her face and her heart drummed. "Yes."

"What is it?"

But all he said was, "Be patient, Hinata."

She cannot remain patient.

Her throat felt closed up and it was difficult to move each morning. Soon, she would be married to another man. Soon, Neji would be forced to watch. Soon, the future of the clan was in her hands. Maybe Neji would stay her with her, damning honor and faithfulness.

Everything suffocated her.

It was the night before her wedding. The last time she saw Neji was when he exited the Hokage's tower, looking more resolved. She wished to know, but he wouldn't say anything and they were kept apart when they returned. "A bride-to-be cannot keep company with another man," they told her timidly.

Hinata turned away. "I'd like to be alone today."

They obeyed. She ignored the white robes for a plain black one by her dresser. She tied it tightly, knowing tradition. She can rule over her husband as clan Head; he couldn't overstep his boundaries and demand to consummate their marriage. Neji would sooner slit his throat. She knew because he told her. Still, Neji wouldn't embrace her, not even when the date fast approached. Nerves made her frantic and she often pushed him against any surface to reach for his mouth and he responded slowly, fervently. But he still pulled away, saying, "No, Hinata," and his lack of explanation made her fret.

Maybe tonight he would finally indulge in their desires. He fulfilled her every wish and command and it always made her question what he saw in her. If she perished, he would follow, Hinata was certain.

She grimaced. Lover's suicide never suited an honorable man like Neji. Her first order was to eliminate the segregation in the clan. It was why he was so attentive; his life's duty was to serve her and it was engraved on his forehead, and maybe it warped the beginnings of his love. Her throat tightened.

"Who will protect you?" her father had asked.

"Neji," she had replied resolutely many times. "As I will protect the clan."

She was drifting to sleep when he came in.

Her eyes fluttered, hearing the light tap of wood. There's no fear, instead, it relieved her. He hadn't abandoned her. Urgency rapidly woke her. She rose on her elbows, the robe slipping off her shoulder. "Neji?" she asked, voice laced with slumber.

He struggled to keep from admiring her body. He's on a mission; nothing else mattered. "Yes."

He's intensely focused on her for some reason. "Is something wrong?"

He came closer and she had to tilt her head but he leveled their eyes by going on his knees. "No, Hinata."

She was getting nervous, the air charged between them. "What is it?"

"I want to take you away," he said simply.

Her heart leapt to her throat. "Why?"

He considered it carefully. "Because I refuse to see you unhappy. And I," he continued darkly, selfishly, and it's the words she wanted from him, "will not witness you marry another man."

A short silence. "Are you forcing me?" she asked, staring up at pale eyes that always reflected her image.

"No," he said gravely and took her hand. "I am seducing you."

And before the morning sun rose in the Hyuuga compound, they disappeared.

* * *

**TBC**


	2. scene ii

**scene ii**

From the very beginning, he promised her endless days.

* * *

They arrived in Suna.

The trek had been long and dry, and the unforgiving weather cloaked them. When the desert stretched before them, Hinata seemed hesitant. "Neji, you know the Kazekage is the closest ally of Konoha."

"Stay close," he said and she tugged up the hood.

Naruto had contacts in the fortified village. "Don't stay long," he was told. "They'll provide you with supplies."

They stayed outside the gates where numerous tents of merchants and travelers frequented and it was a long line for passage into the city. Hinata wandered not too far while Neji slipped into the shadows. "Not longer than three days," a Sand nin whispered harshly.

Neji might have recognized him from the war, but he was eyeing the crowds. A small bag containing scrolls, flasks, parchments passed onto his hands. He gave a cursory glance over the map and tracked Hinata, lingering by the stalls. "You won't see us tomorrow," he promised.

She was fingering an unusual token when he appeared beside her. It had only been a few days, but the long glance from him told her they were finally set to leave the familiar lands. "Is everything alright?" she asked nervously.

His head lowered. "We can stay the night to recuperate, if you wish."

There were armed nins stationed high on the village walls. "No," she said, a little out of breath. "It's fine." He shifted and it was nerves that startled her when his arm slid around her waist. "When we are further away," he murmured. "You will pick our destination."

She was pleasantly surprised and it wasn't until hours later that she was biting her lip, something that agitated Neji, as she examined the map. "This is difficult," she murmured. "We must be careful if we want to travel past Konoha's allied villages."

"I'll take care of it," Neji mentioned, his gaze distant.

She studied him, as if he could carry the burdens laid upon her. When he caught her gaze, she gave him a breathtaking smile that seized him. "Then," she said, "let's go here?"

Two weeks later, she was smiling and glowing, and he was frowning and irritated.

They have been touring the village outskirts for hours. It's smaller than Konoha, but the vast wildness entertained her. He reluctantly agreed to stay awhile longer and extended their reservation.

"I didn't realize the mist cloaked the village," she said. "It's very easy to miss if we weren't careful."

"The Byakugan sees all," he mused and there's a giggle from her that makes him think it's worth it.

…

Hiashi measured the Hokage in a way that told Kakashi they were past pleasantries. Which was remarkable, given that he only exchanged words thrice with the man during his term.

"I hear your student was involved in their escape."

He didn't bat an eye. "Does this constitute as a crime?"

"My daughter is missing."

"You said she is with Neji Hyuuga. Does he present a danger to her?"

"Never. But they disappeared the night of her wedding," he said, voice clipped and Kakashi considered it a victory.

"He assisted in rescuing your second daughter from Kaguya just a year ago," he reminded.

"It was his duty. I want them to return."

Kakashi unfolded his hands. "My condition is they come back alive."

"There will be repercussions," Hiashi said with a hard stare.

"I always forget you are the Head of the Hyuuga clan. You never seem to exercise your power."

It's a challenge and only the way the older man's shoulders tightened showed his fury. "You will never understand."

"Try me," he said dryly.

…

The town was celebrating a local holiday. Fireworks, extravagant displays and food stalls wooed people into the crowded streets.

Hinata watched from the window. She opened it, letting in the night air. Noise immediately burst through the room and Hinata was drawn to it. She slung one leg over the windowsill and wondered where Neji was.

He came in, saying, "We should leave by morning," but stopped when he saw her. He stiffened, his eyes never leaving her face.

"There's a festival," she began. "I wanted to go."

He was fast, for in a blink of an eye, he was staring down at her, his hands flat on the wall. "We cannot risk it."

She had to tilt her head up, but he needed to lower his head too. "But we will be leaving soon anyway," she said.

He was unmovable. "Not now."

They stared. "They can't find us here."

He wouldn't tell her the message he received. "Even so, word travels quickly when it concerns outsiders."

"We can use a genjutsu," she began and he shook his head.

"It's tiring resorting to that," he said, almost gently. He brushed her bangs. "There will be another time, Hinata."

"But-"

"No."

His hard gaze broke no arguments, but Hinata had a feeling he would eventually relent if she persisted. That or forcefully bind her until the urge passed.

Instead, Hinata brought her feet back in and he closed the windows panes.

...

"As we suspected, they stopped by Suna weeks ago."

Papers crinkled and shuffled in haste. "My contacts there have not seen them in the city. Why are we receiving this report just now?"

"The weather?" Kakashi suggested that made Hiashi grit his teeth.

"They'll be careful," Hiashi said. "By now, they should be avoiding the routes our nin's have always taken."

"I must remind you, Hyuuga, your clansmen also have a duty to serve Konoha."

"I implore you to understand, Hokage. My daughter is the heiress to the Hyuuga clan."

Kakashi folded his hands and repressed a sigh. One of the noble clans of Konoha who once stood the highest, now embroiled in a scandal among its hierarchy. It wasn't time yet for change, but Kakashi awaited its inevitable arrival when its next leader returned.

"Summon Naruto Uzumaki," Hiashi said and Kakashi knew he could not delay it any longer.

…

They sat before each other on the bed.

"A merchant?"

"No."

"A fisherman?" she questioned.

"You don't like the sea."

"That's true," she agreed solemnly. "Maybe a miner?" she asked hopefully. Neji grunted. "Oh, forgive me, Neji. I forgot you don't like-" she broke off when he pulled and settled her by his side. "A blacksmith," she stammered, unsure where to place her hands. His long strands tangled with hers as his head nodded. "What about me?" she asked, twisting around.

"I imagine you opening a shop."

She waited for more, but he had nothing left to say. "Is that all?"

"...A dancer," he muttered, flicking his eyes down. "Entertaining me day and night," he continued, nudging his head to hers.

"N-No," she denied. "Something else."

He leaned back on his hands and the lazy look in his eye made her breathless. He was finally at ease. "An instructor."

"I love children," she beamed and he smiled faintly. The silence grew heavy and Hinata bit her lip. "Do you think-"

"Excuse me," he said abruptly and stood to leave, forcing her to tumble to the bed.

She latched onto his sleeve. He halted, staring her down. "Why are you leaving?" she asked and it's such an innocent question, but it hits all the nerves.

"Food," he said gruffly.

She tugged insistently. The bed forced her up as he dropped back heavily on it. "I'm not hungry," she said, leaning over him.

A short silence. "I am."

She nearly smiled, but he was looking vague. She made a move to stand and he abruptly reached out to force her to stay, all stiff muscles unmoving beneath her. Hinata wriggled to get comfortable through sheer will as his grip was steel tight, until she was seated by his hips. Neji grunted, adjusting her. It distracted him well enough to momentarily forget his tension. "I want to go to the pier next," she said.

"We will."

It managed to erase the discomfort in his face and Hinata smiled gently. "I might push you in."

"If you do, I will drag you in with me."

...

"Is it true?" Kiba asked grimly.

Naruto shrugged. "You know how long high ranked missions take." He snorted. "We were taking bets last year if Shikamaru was dead or not when he didn't come back for nearly a year."

"Which he didn't tell us why," Ino said pointedly. Shikamaru shrugged.

"You think Neji will tell anyone of us?" Sakura scoffed, tucking away a report in her lab coat.

They looked towards the members of his former team. "He's always busy," Tenten defended. "He didn't even leave Konoha for the last few months."

"Paperwork," Naruto said with a straight stare. "Kakashi-sensei had him analyzing individual skills and handling team coordination."

Ino gasped. "So that bastard made me go to–"

"Anyway," Kiba said. "The Hokage is throwing everyone off. Isn't that better suited for Shikamaru? And I was wondering what the hell Chouji was doing in the medic bay."

"A bad hit?" Shino muttered in sympathy.

"He was working there."

"Look," Sakura said. "It's not a big deal that they're both gone. I'm leaving for a mission in a week. I know Tenten will be gone tomorrow."

"That's right. Why is this any different?" Ino snapped and they dispersed not too long after.

Only Kiba stayed, forcing Naruto to linger. His senses were heightened but Naruto's heart maintained a steady rhythm. "Are you going to tell me something, Naruto?"

"You're too worried, Kiba."

...

"We're leaving."

Her head came up. "Neji, we just arrived."

"We will find shelter elsewhere."

Her eyes curiously targeted the doors he exited from. "What's wrong with that one?"

On cue, a couple staggered past the doors and she caught a bawdy sign accompanied by a very enthusiastic female receptionist waving.

She looked at him in disbelief. His face was blank. "Forgive me," he said stiffly. "I mistook it for our next arrangements."

She could forgive him. It was not the first time they had to seek shelter elsewhere. But there was still something bothering her. "How could you have mistaken it?"

He couldn't look her in the eyes. "I may have been misled by them," he hedged.

Her lips pursed. If she was going to ask who _them_ was, he really had no answer. Instead, she turned on her heel and walked away and Neji braced himself for the next few days with her silence.

...

Naruto crossed his arms. "You were a little close there."

"Don't withhold their location from us," one Elder threatened. "We'll consider this an insult."

Kakashi raised a hand. "I assure you," he said. "Had Naruto known, he will divulge any information."

"It's not a matter of importance that you must waste the resources of the village," they persuaded. "The Hyuuga have enough capable clansmen to make up the search."

Naruto stiffened. "What will you do to Neji?"

"This is our clan's concerns."

Kakashi leaned back. "Neji Hyuuga is an exceptional nin. He is employed beneath my command."

"As is Hinata-sama."

Hiashi was never one to lose his temper, but his frustration was beginning to show. "We've already established Neji won't hurt her," he told them and focused his white stare on the war hero. "Naruto, I just want them to return."

"How am I supposed to know?" he retorted.

"He has been consulting you for weeks before their disappearance."

"We're friends."

"Where will they be next, Naruto?"

He didn't waver. "I don't know."

* * *

They have been on the run for almost four months. Their eyes are too recognizable and they mask their face with a simple genjutsu.

He doesn't mention how he disliked veiling her appearance with a jutsu. She doesn't look at him often either when they walk through a village undetected. But he kept her close, right there in his peripheral and he has to get used to dull black hair instead of navy blue. They exchanged words at a bare minimum, because their voices didn't match their face and it was too unusual for their liking. It was easier for Neji to pretend since he usually banished her face in favor of her voice. Only years of practice helped achieved the feat; it was better than remembering her face which always made him yearn almost obsessively.

But as soon the jutsu dispelled, they're drawn to each other so strongly, Hinata doesn't have time to unclasp her boots when they drop onto the bed. Before her eyes closed for a kiss, his hungry gaze scoured her swiftly in remembrance and she could only appreciate the hard lines of his face before he took her mouth. When she made a sound to talk, Neji quieted it with his tongue.

Her chest was rising in time with her heavy breaths and her hair, a rich indigo, midnight blue, all words that he would never vocalize, slipped past his fingers and there was so much of it.

He was no artist. But still he sketched a path down her mouth and neck, his teeth closing in on a beating vein beneath her pale skin. He wanted to paint her lips red with long kisses until she turned her face away. "Neji," she said with a noticeable pitch in her voice.

It mildly surprised him that Hinata kept watching him, her searching eyes pinpointing his every feature and thought maybe, his face anchored her nerves. "Hinata," he said and felt her body shiver.

A tentative knock on the door separated them and Hinata was frantically righting her clothes while he strode with predator intent towards the intruder.

The door opened. "Good evening, sir, the inn would like to remind you that one of our services include a tour to the shrine –"

"Not interested."

The low rumbling in his voice made the visitor pale, but he was undeterred and cleared his throat. "It comes with the room, free of charge. Though if you'd like to purchase any souvenirs, it is also available. I assure you that it's suitable for guests like…" he faltered and whatever he saw in Neji's face made him retreat.

Her heart was pounding hard when Neji closed the door with barely restrained fury. But he stayed there with his back to her and Hinata thought to wait for his anger to fade. The manager's words must have irritated him. It was her idea to disguise themselves as a couple when needed; Neji was very quiet when she first suggested it, but eventually agreed. "Out of convenience," he said without looking at her.

"You don't like it?" she asked timidly and she remembered the slow appraisal of his kiss, warming her slowly and lovingly. They never had a proper discussion about it and when Neji no longer mentioned it, Hinata thought to discover it while they journeyed. Too soon, she thought. She was running her fingers through the ends of her hair when he finally turned.

When the silence stretched, Hinata wondered if it was too difficult for him to speak. "I'd like to see the shrine," she began with a small smile. "If you want to?"

He nodded slowly. "We'll go early."

"Without the tour guide?"

"Without him."

"Or is it safer to stay?" she offered with a shy smile and he heard the implication.

Surprise and heat flared in his eyes before his expression was inscrutable once again. Hinata nearly wanted to cry out at his moods and Neji would definitely read her own temperaments wrong as well. She was not angry, anxious, or any other sort of worry Neji would assume her to be suffering.

They were quiet people who read each other so well, yet she was stumped at how completely indecisive they were now. He definitely didn't mind intimacy but how far he was willing to go made her nervous. While she welcomed his touch, he was a complete enigma when only she reached an aching climax.

"No, we won't return here again," he said, not quite meeting her eyes. "See all the sights while you can, Hinata." She was playing with her hands when he stalked listlessly towards the connecting door and she could hear the metallic click of windows locking.

Ever since they left Konoha, wariness consumed him and she was happy to take in their new surroundings. They shared chaste kisses during the journey, when she was in high spirits, when he left a kiss on her mouth before he gathered supplies.

She wasn't sure if he refrained from touching her and it never occurred to her that he was patiently waiting for a signal. He never needed such indication from her before. It's different from before and it's fine with them, but Hinata had caught his eyes lingering on her figure more than once. He no longer bothered masking his interest, but politely turned his back anyway and she never had the courage to initiate it.

She could excuse her forward approach back in the compound on nerves. Neji was all too welcome to respond in kind back then and he often did when jealously consumed him, but all those moments were frantically done in the dark.

Even now in their journey, he only gave her affection in the privacy of their rooms. She was biting her lip, thinking of how to confront him without being evident about her insecurity, when Neji stopped by to give her a kiss in passing and Hinata decided they could wait a little longer.

* * *

In no uncertain terms did Neji allow their bodies to slack off; which was why Hinata was regaining her stamina for the few minutes of her break. The knot by his hair had loosened and she was certain her own hair was a wild mess. It was less formal than their training in Konoha because Neji was almost roguish in his methods.

She initially brushed off his purposeful slow dodges as a trick but when their bodies collided, she thought she saw his mouth twitch. He righted her soon enough and pointed out a flaw in her movements. The next time had her questioning if Neji was staging a ruse when his leg coincidentally slipped between hers when he intercepted her attack and it kept her still when her body reacted. Neji kept his knee in place as he lectured her and it was muddling to remember his instructions. "…like that, Hinata."

He shifted away and Hinata thought long and hard about it. "Neji, may I try something?"

"Anything you like."

A subservient response not suited for a man like him. He rarely disagreed and regret choked her throat. But that was for another time. Hinata walked and he appeared beside her, a frown between his brows. "You said I could." She searched his eyes as he opened his mouth to disagree when he stiffened and after a tense moment, stepped away.

There was no distance she could hide from the Byakugan and Neji was already tracking her. If taijutsu didn't work, then she could employ something else. She wasn't as clumsy in her Academy days, but her control couldn't match it to perfection. Neji narrowed his eyes at the appearance of her clone.

A few minutes later and it was gone. He grew bolder and Hinata couldn't tell if it was a feigned maneuver when his fingers trailed down her wrist until he twisted her arm, or when he ducked his head closer to hers for a kiss. The rest of him was slyly unyielding. She was thrown on the ground more than she could remember.

In her frustration, she asked him, "Why?"

He kept his face neutral. She had just proved to him that he was getting under her skin. She had already done so to him long ago. "I don't know what you mean, Hinata."

She nearly faltered. "Are you," she struggled to say, "trying to…to seduce me?" She looked away uneasily. "…Or fight me?"

"I did say I will."

Her brows furrowed. It occurred to her how often Neji offered oblique words that she was left to interpret. She didn't know what he was expecting and it mattered to her how he would respond. Her approval was seemingly important. He was still waiting. "I understand," she replied and caught a flicker of confusion pass over his face. She stood. "I will refill our water," she said and a muscle in his jaw clenched. Hinata took their canteens, not wanting to see his face darken.

"Six minutes," his voice rumbled deep in his chest as she passed him and it made her smile when he was left brooding.

She knelt to refill it and wondered how close he positioned himself. It wasn't a far walk, but Neji had been on edge ever since they left the last village. She was capping one lid when she sensed blood lust. A group of bandits hovered behind the trees and Hinata slowly stood.

The world flickered when she instinctively leashed the Byakugan. "Alone?" the apparent leader sneered.

"No."

"There's another of you?" they snickered and rushed closer.

A quiet crunch of leaves and Hinata flicked her eyes up once the same time she forced a bandit to his back.

He was standing on a tree branch in plain view, tracking their movements with eerie stillness. She worried what he would do next, sweeping her leg to an overreaching opponent. She'd rather Neji not interfere given his brutal methods, which always gave her pause because she was always told he had clinical precision when ending a life. Perhaps because it involved her, Hinata amended, remembering his slow execution before that she had to step in.

She broke a dozen of their bones and they crumpled at her feet. There was an exhale of breath that told her Neji was smirking.

"You're not a damsel," a bigger man said and she presumed was their leader with a feral smile, a metallic whip swinging in his hand.

She gained distance, choosing to throw others in its way and chanced another look at Neji. He no longer watched her and his narrowed eyes targeted the leader. The distraction had the whip lashing at her cheek. "Ngh," she grunted and shifted to a defensive stance.

Her next glimpse saw chakra surging to his hands in quick bursts but he never moved. She just needed to maintain the pace before the last thread of his patience snapped.

A hard hit on her chest forced her back. Someone roughly grabbed her and Hinata quickly disabled him, just as Neji taught her. There was a familiar sound that came from above and before Hinata could ponder what Neji was going to do soon, something metallic caught around her ankles and forced her to stumble to the ground and she cried out. They rushed in until a sudden scream rose among them. She heard the crunch of barks falling above and shouts barely muffled when bodies were flung away.

Hinata dreaded to look up. She was kicking away the trap when she heard his footsteps. Before she could rise on her feet, strong hands dug onto her skin to help her up. Neji dusted away the dirt, sharp eyes catching every hidden bruise. He stroked her cheek once, completely ignoring them. "Neji," she said worriedly and tried stepping around him.

"You did well," he said and no matter the circumstance, it made her heart swell with delight.

"Neji?" another voice repeated and his arm extended out in a flash.

She heard a gurgle and a body dropping. "I'll finish the rest," he continued as she struggled to keep from gaping. He was always gentle with her, even now as he traced her lips, but it was moments like this that reminded her how strictly he exercised his strength.

"Kill him," the leader snarled. They cracked their knuckles. Neji was unfazed. Hinata stifled a smile because he needed no display of aggressiveness to prove how intimidating he could truly be.

Instead, Neji summoned the Byakugan.

They faltered, but gained confidence by their numbers. "Excuse me," he told her and nearly mangled his tongue from cutting off saying her name. He executed a quick bow to hide his grimace and began walking towards them.

…

They stared at the expanse of water stretched down into a lake. Dirt coated her skin heavily, her nose could no longer differentiate smells, and everything felt heavy. "I want to bathe," she decided suddenly. He made a strangling noise behind her as she hurried to the water and took off the last layer of her clothing.

"Hinata."

But she didn't hear the tremor in his voice as she tentatively stepped in. By habit, he willed the Byakugan whenever she got too far. When had she trusted him so freely like this, he wondered. He was beginning to wonder if she was aware of it.

He gathered her clothes, darting his eyes back to her when he could.

"It's cold," she chattered, hair floating all around her. "But the water is very clear. I can see everything."

So could he, Neji thought distantly. "There's a local village a few miles from here. It will provide a more...covered area for you there."

"I don't mind this," she said, gathering it to wet her face. "Isn't it just like before?"

Her breasts teased the surface and the skin of her shoulders and neck distracted him. "I suppose," he said absently.

Droplets trickled down her face and he could follow it with his mouth. "You wouldn't let stay me longer than an hour," she remembered with a smile.

When they used resources found in the wild, he stubbornly refused to leave each time. He only compromised by turning his back and she was required to say a word every two minutes, which he diligently kept count like a hawk, forcing her to wash up quickly. As the days rolled by, modestly was a false cloak that only strained them and she shed all pretenses that plagued them in Konoha.

"I can join you."

She shyly shook her head and covered her chest, like an afterthought. His brow arched. "That's different," she sputtered, sinking her face deeper.

"How?"

"It was...dark." He nodded to appease her. He didn't remind her how superior their eyesight was. "Neji," she started to mumble. "I'm getting embarrassed if you look so much."

The corner of his lips lifted only the slightest bit. "You haven't sent me away."

With increasing embarrassment, Hinata managed to ignore him.

She didn't know why but some time later, when she peeked over her shoulder, his face had darkened and it may be from the sinking sunset. He stalked back and forth, occasionally throwing furious looks at something from afar. He stopped pacing when he noticed her watching and crossed his arms. Unbidden, his gaze swiftly looked her over.

She reached her hand up for aid. It shifted his attention upwards and she met his unfocused stare.

His knees were soaked as he handed her a towel when she came closer and she was fretting about his mood and he was too angry to notice her nakedness. He tersely assisted drying her off and it felt rough, and Hinata squirmed to resist his hands. It dropped to his sides. She securely fastened her clothes and waited for his say.

While he was working on unclenching his jaw, Hinata looked towards where a map laid near the fire. A few markings indicated their travel and Hinata was amazed at the distance from Konoha. "We've gone far," she said to fill the silence.

Neji decided to drop whatever incited his mood and went to consult the map. "We made our way northwest. We can travel our way to the far east, though we will have cross through territories near Konoha."

"Is that alright?"

"Yes," he said. If Naruto kept his word. "We'll leave in a few hours."

"So soon?"

"We need some supplies from the local village. It will cost us a day if we linger too long."

Hinata nodded, gracefully folding her legs. "You still have blood on you," she murmured, skimming her hand down his arm. "Neji, please don't be stubborn. While we're still here –"

"No," he said curtly.

She presented him a fresh set of travelling garments anyway. "I won't sleep beside you," she said and he was amused.

He stripped away the garbs, tossing them to a pile they'd burn later. He ignored her small glances; it was precisely why he wanted to wait until they reached an inn. While he was comfortable with their new arrangement, she was not yet accustomed to his state of undress. It was the strangest notion when he had seen her nakedness. If she was another woman, Neji would have called her sly.

As he pulled it over his head, she was scribbling nonsense in the dirt. She quickly dusted it away when he was done and proceeded to utter the most ridiculous thing. "You can rest, Neji. I'll take watch."

His bones ached and there was a matter to deal with miles away. He was about to tell her that when she coaxed him to laying beside her. He didn't want the flat cushion; instead he leaned to her, her warmth much more welcoming.

"No later than sunrise," he reminded and her soft hand traced over his mouth.

…

"Taijutsu, closely reminiscent of Hyuuga origin."

"Possibly," he allowed. "One of our men passed this way for a previous assignment but had not seen them."

Kou addressed the other with veiled contempt. "He should have checked thoroughly."

"It was a time-sensitive mission," he replied. "Besides, these corpses have no image of their killers. There's too few bodies for the nin to decipher anything unusual."

"You employed an outsider?"

"We'll use any resources to find Hinata-sama," he was reminded. "But if she can't find anything, we're done here."

The scattered ashes made Kou dubious. "Why go through the trouble of burning the rest of the bodies?"

"Might be dealing with a rouge nin."

"It's still strange… these methods resemble Hinata-sama's taijutsu."

It was a bleak hope and another clansman laid a heavy hand on his shoulder. "We can follow this trail as well, Kou. I'll let you handle this one."

* * *

Neji was feeling restless.

They were getting closer, just as he wanted. But it was her soft sighs and the faraway look in her eyes that made him agitated. He caught how her body shifted in the subtlest motion whenever he was too close. If she wanted to know if he was willing, he'd have marched to where she was and grab her for a kiss.

Perhaps the stress was beginning to settle in and anything sexual was still not discussed on their parts, and neither was willingly to bring it up.

Neji would never mention it. Sometimes he loses it and pushed her down and the bed sheets tangle around them, but it's alright with her. There's urgency when he moved above her, and it almost had her wishing he was inside her instead and when the words emerged from her lips, he cut her off with a kiss and finished her quickly by bringing his hand down between them. Her body was becoming familiar, but he also needed her love.

Later, he was quiet and unapologetic. She was a little out of breath, but her touch around his arm told him she didn't mind his roughness. She kissed him gently and said something because he doesn't remember how she managed to convince him to attend a celebration. It was her way of easing the strain and Neji didn't know how to feel.

In her hands, she carried prizes. It nearly overflowed her small basket because Neji never held back even for simple games and she had to pull him away before the vendors complained. It was lessening in number every time a child curiously eyed her prizes and she couldn't resist giving it away.

There was a tense moment when he stiffened, eyeing the shadows where the light couldn't reach. Hinata sent him a questioning glance that he didn't meet. Eventually it passed and he led her to another display which had her panicking to his amusement. "There," she insisted and he relented.

They were sitting too close to the bonfire for his liking, but Hinata had mentioned it was chilly. She was humming a sort of tune and the small amount of alcohol he drank relaxed him. She was peeling a fruit for him while he secured their surroundings. "It's lively," she said to him, mouth by his ear and it shot down his spine. "I want to stay longer."

"I believe there will be a performance later," he murmured and it forces her to move closer, "that you might be interested in participating."

"Oh?"

She was distracted when a family settled beside her, their children wanting her prizes. He moved to sit on the ground while she remained on the log, then felt Neji's hand loosely brace around her ankle as he gazed elsewhere. When the family wandered elsewhere, Hinata turned back to him.

He was eyeing the dancers with detached interest, but something in her dropped anyways. She shifted her legs away and Neji returned his attention to her, as if sensing it. His mouth lifted in one corner and Hinata made a note to learn any cultural tradition sometime in their next destination.

"Nothing left?" he asked.

She had hidden one item deep in her pocket. "Most," she said truthfully. "I couldn't carry any of it, Neji." He hadn't offered to in case they were pursued. "The children were so happy. I think we relieved their parents from spending tonight."

"I won them for you."

His gruffness made her pause. "You didn't keep what I gave you," she returned.

"I have no use for an old toy," he said flatly. When she had won the prize, Neji was skeptically staring at it and used the silence to think of something to say except all he worked up was, "I don't know what to say."

"But at least you knew why I was giving your prizes away."

"I didn't lie. A child snatched it."

She sorted out the sweets gathered in her basket. "I tried my best."

He was about to reply when a cold sweetness touched his lips. He gave her a look but obediently accepted it.

Tension hadn't lined his brows and shoulders this night. It was then she decided to address the tension between them. Hinata reached and tentatively twined her palm beneath his. The response almost immediate; he tensed and going by the measuring glance he shot her, Hinata guessed it was the closest she'd ever see him stunned. It was masked in the next second and their hold became firm.

"What are we waiting for?" Hinata asked amiably and tried to maneuver her free hand to open a chocolate.

"You will see."

"You don't know either." Her tone was a question and he shook his head.

"You insisted we stay longer."

"If it takes all night…" she trailed off when the wrapper twisted in an unusual way.

His other hand reached over to pull the other end. "It's nothing important," he said and after a few tugs, they managed to unwind it open.

But if Neji had mentioned the occasion, then he was anticipating it. "No, I'd like to –" she continued wobbly as she tried lifting it to her mouth. It rolled to the ground and Hinata mournfully stared.

"Excuse me, miss, do you have any more toys?" a tiny voice trilled loudly.

She quickly stood and nearly yanked her arm when Neji refused to relinquish her hand. They shared a stare and when she experimentally tugged her hand, his jaw clenched. She bit her lip and at that, he reluctantly released her.

"I do," she said faintly.

"Thank you!" the boy chimed and ran back into the crowd that Hinata worried he was lost.

"Hinata," she heard Neji call and gingerly sat back down, tucking her feet to the side.

He placed himself beside her, pointedly moving his legs so they touched. "I don't want to stay anymore," she said and expected resistance.

"If you want," he said without pause.

She was beginning to suspect that Neji would almost agree to anything she said. If she was mistaking love for gratitude, then Neji forever masked his with duty. It loomed over her for too long. But Neji was here, free as they've ever been, and the evening was young.

"Maybe just a little longer?" she suggested and when Neji shifted his head away to hide his lips curving, Hinata realized he enjoyed her uncertainty.

"Just a little longer," he agreed.

Her face heated and there was no more space to shift her legs away. Maybe it was the festival that loosened his strict approach. She slipped her hand back to his and he easily accepted it. Hinata calmed her breathing. All she had to do was tug him in the slightest motion, anything to signal her interest that would get him moving, but the last time it happened, he was stiff and wary and the constant frown he wore made her guilty.

Hinata wished it wouldn't be the same now. She was trying her hardest to convey that it wasn't just him who risked everything. He couldn't understand it yet nor could she say it in the midst of a rowdy celebration. "Hinata," he murmured when she nervously stroked his fingers.

"I –"

She tried pleading with him but it was arrested in her throat. He measured her a split second before he pulled her close by the neck and kissed her.

A few teasing howls went their way and his eyes were warm when they drew apart. Despite all that they've done, a simple kiss could make her embarrassed. But he never done it in public before and she ventured a tentative kiss on his cheek that he returned on her lips.

As the night passed, it was the first time she saw Neji hesitant as she slipped into his arms and realized maybe it was her fault that he looked so troubled.

* * *

**TBC**


	3. scene iii

_All chapters revised again on February 2016._

* * *

**scene iii**

A world trip.

* * *

Unusual sets of customers always plagued roadside inns.

One establishment not too far from Kumogakure saw runaways, eloping lovers and the occasional suspicious merchant, its manager always handling them with utmost respect.

When he first sighted a man and woman without rings on their fingers, he bowed low anyway and escorted them to a room. His duties didn't end there; hardly any of his occupants frequented the small diner and he was going door-to-door, delivering meals. "Dinner," he said curtly and several doors were slammed to his face after it was snatched from his hands.

"Do not disturb," a few signs hung from the door.

It was his policy to obey every patron's wish. But he needed to fulfill his service as well. He listened for any scandalous noises before entering, well-bred that he was, and if there was any, he left it lying cold on the cartel. He stopped by the room where the debatable pair rested. Man and woman, he thought separately, not joined by their parent's will, he was very sure.

He inserted the master key into the door after a short knock and shuffled the tray inside. Lamps weren't lit and he opted to leave it so. He was quietly padding his way out when he noticed a low light filtering through bottom of the bathroom door. He paused, warring with his sensibilities. An ordinary man like him posed no threat and he left. It was much later when he rounded back to the room through a secret wall and watched.

Nins of the Five Great Shinobi Nations always questioned him at least thrice a month for any matching descriptions of a suspect, and there were numerous occasions of that. He had to fulfill a citizen's duty to report to the best of his memory. His frequent visitors were nins from Konoha, located only southwest and he wasn't one to disappoint.

He first saw the flow of her garments on the marble flooring and the delicate legs beneath it, no longer completely hidden. It was a pretty sight as he followed upwards, where her hair rested down and over the curve of the bathtub where her front leaned on. Concern immediately struck him; she had fallen and was unconscious, but there was a trickle sound of water then the idle twist of her wrist and he realized she wasn't alone.

A muscular arm lounged near her shoulder and he briefly wondered if she was to play a swooning female servant, watching her master bath and awaiting his command as she sat there. It wasn't that; she was relaxed and completely content, her hand likely drawing circles in the water while the mysterious man lay in the tub. They weren't talking nor did he feel any passion in the air. Still the sight was suffocating.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked and his heart nearly stopped.

"It's fine," was the deep reply.

"I'll get another," she said and made a motion to rise.

"No need."

Finally, a glimpse. He squinted to see through a crack, but the angle was too low for him to note any features. All he could make out was brown hair with a questionable length that had him racking through his memory for any male customers befitting it.

He was certain there was none.

The woman was easing back in her original position. He adjusted his vision for anything noteworthy. A weapon would certainly cause an alarm. Nearby her, there was a small bucket with a dirty rag slung over it, coated with something red. Blood. He swallowed heavily and tried to retreat. There was a shift of water and he saw the woman lift her head to face him, still obscuring the view.

"What is it?" her soft voice carried over.

A short silence and no other noise he could hear except her sweet concern.

"Nothing."

A chill went through him. It felt as if the male's eyes pierced through the walls and watched him. But that was impossible. He stumbled back. Something dangerous lurked within her companion. He abandoned the patrol, and locked his doors and windows.

The next night, the inn was in an uproar. Its managers' sudden disappearance allowed for a swift exit and Hinata took care to not question Neji.

…

They were not pursued for the following week.

Neji was certain. Hinata must have known given his better moods. "Will we able to return?" she asked then.

"You will."

She frowned. "You'll come back with me." He just looked back solemnly. "Neji, I won't go without you," she said firmly. He dismissed it with a wave of his hand and Hinata was guilty of her next words but she needed a response. "If you don't, I will have to marry him."

He scowled and knew her play. It worked. "That won't happen," he snapped. "I won't allow it." Then his stance tightened. "Did he ever touch you?"

"No," Hinata said. "He never did."

"I wasn't always there," he growled and paced in long strides. She decided to keep quiet and let him work through the abrupt haze of anger gripping him. "When we return," he said darkly and something in her dropped, "Hiashi-sama can still arrange for another marriage."

"I may no longer be eligible," she said cautiously. When she left with him that night, she accepted the abandonment of her duties. "Father will choose Hanabi and relieve me of my former obligations."

"He will not," he said sharply.

Nerves wrecked her pulse rate. "How do you know?"

He looked away. "Because he confided in me. You will truly be the clan Head of the Hyuuga."

She stood, refusing the urge to touch the walls for balance. "You…never told me," she breathed.

He faced her accusation with regret. "It was already decided by Hiashi-sama."

"Then why are we here?" she said, a hitch in her voice that made his head turn.

He approached her and though Hinata shrugged him off, he was undeterred. "You were unhappy. As was I with…your arrangement," he said carefully.

She tried pulling away, but Neji's hold remained firm. "That's all?" He was unreadable, but she caught something deep in his eyes that made her pause. It almost looked bleak. "Neji?" It was wiped away in the next second and he kissed her, his hands caressing her to ease the tension. She followed the trail his hands left on her skin. "When will we return?" she finally asked.

"Whenever you want."

His fingertips skimmed down her throat and around to the curve between her shoulders. She couldn't tell what he was feeling. "What…do you think?"

A hand at the back of her neck tightened with just enough pressure to serve as a warning. "If we could, we would never return."

…

It's a strange village.

An old historic town that dictated women wore long garments and the attire of men consisted of softened pieces of battle armor. "This is ridiculous," he said flatly.

"I think you look handsome," she offered. He was nonplussed. She has to take small steps in order to walk in the tall wooden sandals and Neji raised a brow. "It's tight," she defended, gesturing at the cloth hugging her legs.

"I'll carry you."

"N-No!"

Neji looked around. Its residents were giving them scornful looks and it all felt very old-world class, not very socially advanced. If only they knew Hinata held the power.

He was vastly entertained as Hinata made her way back to their room. She was making undignified noises and it made him all too happy that she was entirely carefree. He went ahead to the top of the stairs and wordlessly offered a hand that she rejected. "It's pretty," she sighed, twisting the soft material when they went through the door.

"You couldn't move."

"I know."

She doesn't mind long robes made of silk with layers upon layers. There's comfort at the thought of home. And it flustered her at the thought of Neji frowning as he tried undressing her. He had done it once before and in his frustration, ripped it apart. She tried doing the same out of spite and only managed to yank down it around his shoulders. Hinata struggled to say something clever and he was amused.

But there's no sly smirk or embarrassment here. It was passion and it consumed them.

She can't breathe because his mouth was always on hers and his hands are rough. When he touched the softness of her skin, his fingers linger and follow down until it encounters cotton. There's no time for tenderness because time was always against them. "We have to go," he grated when she slumped in his arms.

She tried to even her breaths. "Just… wait a bit more."

He was unfulfilled and couldn't summon pity for her. "Now." He draped an arm around her waist and stood, ignoring the insistent pressure below his hips.

The garments given to them by the village lay dirtied on the floor and he set fire to it. He appreciated their fashion though it was extremely inconvenient for travel. He paused and regretfully thought how it could confine Hinata. It was difficult finding this secluded village that sat on the far east islands. They could have settled here longer.

"A pity," she heard him mumble.

She shakily smoothed down where the long skirt crumpled by her hips and stilled when Neji watched her intently. For a moment, she thought he would damn everything and they'd be lost in each other. She saw the struggle in him and the heroic effort to rein it in all in until his gaze was blank.

He gestured her to move ahead and Hinata wondered how quiet their next trip would be.

* * *

They met a familiar face in their travels. Hinata stumbled when he suddenly pulled her back. "Neji? What's wrong?"

He stared grimly. "It's Konohamaru," he said through clenched teeth.

Hinata stiffened. "Is he…Is he with anyone?"

"He's too young to be without a team. And too unskilled." The boy who aspired to be the best was now like a young Naruto in their Chunin days. Determined and proud, but still reckless. "We have to stay away before they spot us."

"You don't think Konoha was alerted of our disappearance?"

"Hiashi-sama wouldn't do that. But he will gather as much intel as possible."

She wrung her hands. "I still need to get some things, Neji."

The pupil in his eyes dilated, the veins emerging. "I only see two other rookies in the area. Their team leader is not close by. Hurry, Hinata."

...

Konohamaru didn't like waiting for his teacher. They were left behind again. He roamed the small streets. Sure, he was told to stay within the room, but he didn't like it.

Nothing in this town was remarkable and its ordinary citizens were common-looking. He was busy staring at food stalls when a figure behind him inched forward. A woman gathered it in her basket and wordlessly handed the money. He paid no mind until he noticed a strange glow and pulse of energy. He quickly looked up but she was rushing somewhere else and he followed. "Wait!" She turned a corner, and confident, charged headlong. "Are you a nin?" he asked bluntly and he brightened at the flicker of chakra. "I knew it! I am too!"

"First mistake," a deeper male voice said behind him and he twisted to find an older man towering over him. "Never blow your cover, Konohamaru."

His brows furrowed. "Do I know you?"

"No."

But there was another nin near him and he tried appealing to her. Finally after a long moment, the genjutsu dispelled. It disappeared from the man too and his jaw dropped when it was Neji Hyuuga.

Then Neji paused and stared at her, confusing Konohamaru who thought he was the center of attention. All he had to do was swipe the kunai by his leg. But knowing Neji Hyuuga's reputation, he refrained. He cleared his throat instead. It was clear the older man had to drag his gaze away from her and he suffered the full-burnt repercussion of it with an unfavorable glower. "Why are you here?" he mumbled.

His pale eyes narrowed and it almost made him shake. As long as they didn't do the freaky thing with their eyes, he was safe. "You should know better than to ask."

His head dropped. He wasn't close to any adults except Naruto and it was all the same words: _It's confidential_. Konohamaru sighed. "I'm sorry. I won't say anything."

"Thank you," Hinata said with a smile. "I'm sorry we can't explain. It's –"

"Confidential, I know," he huffed and Neji warningly glared. "Can I ask about it when you get back–"

He yelped when he was suddenly lifted by the neck. His legs flailed. "Forget you've seen us," he growled. "And I will let you live."

Konohamaru gasped and pleaded to her. Hinata was looking at him sadly. "You cannot mention it to anyone, Konohamaru. Please."

He nodded desperately and when the air returned to his lungs, they were gone. He returned to the room, a little more amazed. The rumors about Neji Hyuuga's fierceness were true, especially if Hinata Hyuuga was present.

While Konohamaru's team regrouped and prepared to leave the following night, a group of Hyuuga clansmen near the area asked him, "Have you encountered them?"

"No," he said. "I have not."

* * *

He shared drinks with the local fishermen.

She doesn't know if it's because of the alcohol. His eyes are piercing and unlike before, Hinata knew what he was feeling. There was something exhilarating about having the ability to enchant this man, who watches her every movement and knowing it enflamed his desires. He has not even touched his drink once she arrived.

The women were gossiping and she tried listening. When they noticed her peering elsewhere, they wasted no time prodding. "Yes," she stammered. "We're...We're lovers," she told them and she swore Neji was smiling. "I, uhm, I need to get back. I don't feel well." The laughter behind her only embarrassed her.

She was waiting in their room when they returned. He was strangely quiet and she was disappointed when he excused himself to discreetly schedule their morning leave. Hinata pushed away the urge to do minimal tasks and clenched her fists from wanting to arrange the spill of her robes over the bed covers. Only one candle burned and she watched the shadows.

She can hear his footsteps.

Her head lifted as he walked in. His gaze caught hers and he slowly came closer. He unclasped the overcoat and it fell to the floor. He climbed over her and she cannot move her body to accommodate him because he pinned her down. His hard abdomen pressed down over her and her chest touched him.

He kissed her and it's what she's waiting for.

…

Hinata wasn't sure if she was relieved that she felt faint during the act. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Neji merely kissed her tenderly for long moments. "It's fine to stop," he reminded her and shuddered when she tried easing him. After a while, he lay the sheets over them and cradled her closer. Urgency used to ride him hard and Hinata savored the afterglow. He was dozing while she counted the days to their next destination. She sat up. "Hinata," he murmured.

"I just need to get your ointment," she assured, knowing his knee ached nowadays. He meant to purchase one before the fishermen pulled him away. "You stay and rest."

"Be careful." He was quiet when Hinata slipped out to make herself presentable. Once done, she glanced back and found him watching her with half-lidded eyes. A faint smile curved his lips. "Take your time," he drawled and Hinata quickly left.

She was looking in the market when a voice behind her intoned, "Hinata-sama."

She spun around. "Kou," she gasped. "How…"

He stepped forward and she instinctively stepped back. He paused and eyed her warily. She couldn't meet his accusing stare. His feet planted in a stance and his hands were at his back. "Please return with me, Hinata-sama."

Her throat was too dry. "That's… not possible right now."

"You will have to eventually return."

She knew. But it was too soon, too abrupt. Neji was waiting for her. "I will," she offered. "I will face my father when I am ready."

His hands came back into view and she stiffened. "I was ordered to return you even without your cooperation."

"Kou," she pleaded and it pierced his heart. "Please, don't do it."

"Why did you leave, Hinata-sama?" he asked and she could detect a trace of anger. "Where is Neji?"

Her heart weighed heavily at once. Kou was one of the closest clansmen she had at her side. She didn't want to wonder how her father and Hanabi felt about her disappearance. "I cannot," she began carefully, "allow the Elders to take control."

"Is that why Neji took you away?"

"We left for different reasons," she hedged.

"How long?" he asked.

She struggled to find an answer and summoned chakra when he took a step forward. He stopped. "Don't ask me that," she implored and Kou was furious to note that Neji may not have returned her after all.

"Hiashi-sama employed several nins to find you," he warned. "None who will be as gracious as I."

"I cannot return. Not yet." Her eyes flicked to the shadows. It was quiet, long enough for Hinata wonder why Neji hadn't found her yet. "Please, Kou."

"I haven't found you this time," he said slowly. "But we will return the next time I find you."

Not wanting to risk it, Hinata fled.

…

He couldn't promise her forever.

Hinata wasn't disillusioned and his truths never rang false. She continued to stay beside him and bastard that he was, he tested her. He deliberately led Kou to her, see what she would do, what words she would say in defense and would she abandon him in the name of duty? He wouldn't have fought them if she chose to leave. If she resisted, he would have removed Kou. Preferably alive, given Hinata's attachment and it didn't build confidence in the clan if they followed Itachi Uchiha's footsteps.

It was too short of a moment when Neji sent her out on a false errand. In the corner, their packs were prepared. His contained only just a little more supplies and essentials. He smiled wryly. Regardless of respect, no one really cared for his return. Out in the window a flash of azure hair blowing from the strong winds caught his eye. Neji ran a hand over his face and couldn't stop the low rumbling in his throat when she rushed through the door, completely undone and frantic. She went to him. "Neji, we have to leave now," she insisted.

He had a black humor because he asked her, "Why?"

"Kou," she said frantically. "Kou found me. He…He let me go. Just this once." He rose as she hurried to grab their packs. "We must go, Neji," she repeated. He wordlessly unsheathed a kunai and alarmed, Hinata shook her head. "He's alone," she explained. "Hurry, Neji, before anyone else comes."

He lets himself be ushered towards the door. Before the light reached them, Neji forced her around and roughly closed his mouth over hers. It made her knees weak and Neji pulled away before it escalated.

"They won't find us," he vowed.

* * *

**TBC**


	4. scene iv

**scene iv**

The red string of fate.

* * *

Kou was witnessing, unfortunately, something he never wanted to know.

A feverish madness gripped Hinata ever since they entered this cloudy village. Neji had also noticed her restlessness but even he couldn't soothe the uncontrollable paranoia plaguing her. He had a feeling he was partly to blame for it. It mildly comforted him that even Neji couldn't solve everything. So Kou watched and waited. He was going to leave to gather medicinal herbs to help her sleep, Kou presumed, and when he left, Kou would confront her once more.

He looked away when their heads moved closer. From his time watching them, the rumors were definitely true back then.

Once Neji left, Kou diligently tracked him until he was far enough. He was weary though. Neji simply would not allow harm to come to her. There was no way Hinata wouldn't tell him of their encounter and he was sure Neji's guard was up, but there were no signs of it. Still, Kou was very careful. They hadn't noticed him yet and he waited for the right moment. He glanced at Hinata, still agitated like the residents of this village. It was too easy. Kou paused and questioned if the madness plagued him too.

His problem was solved when Hinata suddenly opened the window and jumped out. She leapt from roof to roof, a shadow under the sun. He tensed, prepared to grab her and escape before Neji found her. But a fleeting call of "Hinata?" stopped him. She only looked back once, saw Neji's incredulous gaze locked on her, and without another word, ran.

Kou heard the distant weight of items hitting the ground and he was in sudden pursuit.

It was remotely futile chasing them. Neji would get to her first. But still he followed and needed to see the heiress well again. He shadowed himself and was eternally grateful they hadn't use the Byakugan. They were further away from the village now, but there was still a fire in her eyes. She kept looking back. She can't look too long; he distracted her as she distracted him, Kou can tell. She doesn't know that the sight of her back fleeing motivated him to go faster and to see her look back only increased the need. Neji was known for his, almost excessive, dedication to her.

Unfortunately for them both, Neji has the advantage - he was quicker. She tried to grip the branches at the same time he lunged, pulling her down by the waist. The wind rushed at them, violently whipping their hair. Kou squinted. His mouth was set in a line and his grip was almost crushing. Yet he noticed the minuscule change in him once Hinata sighed. Kou slumped in relief. The cloudy village had a strange power and it was gone. Neji maneuvered her in his arms as he took the impact when they landed.

"Hinata," he said. "You wish to sleep out here tonight?"

Because of the chase, they miss their tour. Kou knew, having privately talked with its manager.

"I…I don't think it's a good idea to stay there," she said, rubbing her temples.

He didn't take a second to mull it over. "We'll stay elsewhere," he told her. "I'll retrieve our bags."

She shifted on her feet, but he hovered close. Kou damned him then; the heiress didn't want to set foot there again. "Let's walk back," she finally said. Neji didn't take any risks and his hand latched on her wrist. Kou jolted when her fingers reached to twine with his instead. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I don't know why…"

"It doesn't matter."

Kou decided to let them out of his sight. It spared him from their intimacy and it was better than being discovered.

…

He was surprisingly efficient in fishing. "You caught so many," she said in awe. He shot her a look as he pulled back the makeshift net, forearms barely straining. "How come you don't use your hands?"

"Too troublesome," he mumbled, plunging a kunai into the remaining fish. "This will do for tonight."

"When are we stopping by a village?" she asked. While she didn't mind camping in the wildlife after the last village, it crept back in again. It was irrational, she knew. For once, the thought of closed walls and Neji with her made it bearable.

"We'll go to the next one."

Her lips frowned. "But there's one nearby. At least so we can replenish our packs."

He looked almost regretful. "Just wait longer. And Hinata, I will apologize in advance."

A day later, he hefted her over his shoulder. She squirmed. Ropes chaffed her wrists and her mouth was gagged. Neji tried to make the walk tolerable but she makes a noise as they ascend uphill. His hold tightened. "You are only making it difficult." Her knees dug into his front and Neji adjusted her. A couple of steps and the dense fog cleared. "Almost there, Hinata."

The gatekeeper took one look at them. "Put one more restraint on her. Make sure she can't escape," he demanded.

Neji managed a tight smile. This village's law was idiotic in effect. Hinata was uncomfortable and Neji wanted to slash the gatekeeper's throat for her discomfort. "She's secured," he said instead.

One suspicious glare and they were let through. Neji set her down immediately once they were out of sight. They were concealed with a quick formation of their hands. "Why does it have to be here?" she asked, easing the marks.

He took out a gel to rub over her skin. "We don't have a choice. Entry here is strictly patrolled." He didn't say no Hyuuga would attempt what they just did. "It's easier for us to roam."

"The women here are treated like objects," Hinata said, voice hard.

"I don't like it either. I will quickly attend to business and we will leave."

Hinata would have hated the village even more had she seen the sights he witnessed. If he could, he'd massacre the village's council for its laws and traditions but that was a red mark for their clansmen to follow. As much as it disgusted him, the village was set in its way and chaos would surely erupt if it was disrupted.

He thought of Hinata, willing to bound herself to another man in marriage, to dissolve the segregation in the clan. If the clan turned its back on her, he was willing to take her away once more. There was a high chance she'd fight for it and Neji relented that her place belonged as the highest power. He was going to help her achieve it, but not at the cost of her happiness.

Once he gathered everything, Neji looked the other way with a small smile as Hinata crept behind the gatekeeper with her binds.

…

There may have been drawbacks when he left enough clues for someone like Kou to track them the first time. Hinata's other protector was persistent. He alluded to many encounters. They couldn't stay more than one night anymore. And if they did, Kou stayed a fair distance and never interfered. Maybe he was evaluating his worth or Hinata's health, maybe he approved Neji's training regime in the midst of it. Still, Hinata was clueless.

He allowed Kou's surveillance, if only to report Hinata's well-being to her father.

But even Neji had a limit; he had to refrain from touching her often. It was restricted to kisses and it was beginning to irritate him. So when she was asleep after a long day of touring, Neji slipped out. Hinata was always by his side and he avoided lying to her as much as possible.

He was careful to confront him after weeks of trailing them. Kou's last report should have assured the Head and given them more time. Yet there he was. He set up traps near their room in case Kou had any ideas of stealing Hinata away. He deliberately walked in the night unconcealed. "Neji." Kou revealed himself by a closed shop. "You've left Hinata-sama?"

He looked worn out, not that Neji blamed him. He did make his trek difficult. If Kou wanted him to know they were being followed, he'd have been more transparent. As it was, Neji let the assumption hold. "I'll give you the chance to report back to Hiashi-sama," was all he said.

The older man paused. They've fought before. And Neji only yielded because he mentioned Hinata. Kou didn't want to risk it now, not knowing which side Hinata would have taken. There was also the possibility Neji would immobilize him without a second thought, especially if Hinata didn't know. There was no way Neji would let her wander without his knowing. He was extremely cunning, Kou should have known. Deciding the priority was to the Head, Kou backed off. "I'll see to it," he said tersely.

That only lasted three weeks before Kou began picking up their trail again. Neji didn't know how – maybe he really should have killed that old meat seller who Hinata gave her name to. It was harmless then, but it provided Kou an opportunity. He should have been content by what they accomplished during that three week span.

When it was morning, he liked to trace the smooth curves of her waist, breasts, face; the shapes of her that signaled her femininity. It was never enough.

Now there wasn't enough time. Neji detoured to another town and summoned enough chakra to generate a clone. He only hoped they wouldn't run into any more nins. His chakra was nearly drained to exact his likeness. Hinata didn't ask and wordlessly followed his instructions to do the same. Then they were running the opposite way.

Kou took the bait.

He made sure to wait for a few days. Once Neji knew they were undetected, he quickly looked for an inn.

He locked the door and stalked towards her. She was by the window, saying, "It's been a while since–"

He lifted her and dropped down to the bed once it hit his knees. Neji twisted a hand into her hair, grasping that silky handful to guide her lips to his. After a while, she broke away and he ventured elsewhere. "Neji–"

"Not now, Hinata," he said distractedly, skilled fingers quickly unhooking her bra.

"But this–"

"We won't do it," he said, sliding the button off her pants. "I just need to remember how you feel."

Her hips lifted as he yanked it off and she shyly watched as he reached behind to remove his shirt. She thought he was unusually reserved for the past days and to be reminded of his lust greatly encouraged her. He lay back down, pressed their bodies together and their mouths touched in familiar hunger.

* * *

When there was a shortage of money, Hinata suggested seeing the wanted board that was in every town. It was less stressful than the high-ranked missions assigned to them in Konoha. Some were petty thieves, repeat offenders and Hinata decided on the worst criminal. It wasn't hard to track him and Neji stood back to watch Hinata handle it.

She currently had him up against a tree, her hands coated in blue chakra. "Is she alive?" she questioned.

"Dead," he spat.

She threw a fist that paralyzed him. "Where?"

"Go to hell, bitch."

Hinata felt the frustration rise and was about to deliver another hit when Neji made a move. He surprised her when he removed the criminal from her grasp and threw him to the ground. Neji stomped on his back and slammed his head down. "Say that again," he warned. "And this will be your grave."

Hinata immediately panicked. The criminal couldn't see her and she tried staying Neji's hand by reminding him of the very generous award if he was captured alive. He thankfully perceived Neji's very real threat and submitted in silence. "Another one?" she asked and Neji agreed. The adrenaline flushed her skin and it was a captivating sight to see her take charge. Before they set off, she told him very seriously, "Please don't interfere unless it's crucial." He considered any unkind remarks towards her crucial and she added, "If they say anything to me, you can't harm them."

His restraint was tested that very day.

They collected the money and left for parts unknown. Supplies were a priority and they pocketed the remaining for any inns if they were tired of camping. One such instance, Hinata chose a higher quality inn, complete with breakfast and dinner. It was known for attracting couples and Hinata was thankful that Neji was too busy frowning to notice. It no longer bothered them, but their unspoken feelings always simmered beneath the surface. Neji loved her, she knew. It was nearly impossible to say the words because he was still skeptical to accept it.

He orchestrated their escape and she played the perfect conspirator devoid of any guilt, just as he wanted. The day they finally returned, she was going to show him. Even if the smooth layer of skin at her back was ruined with whips, at least she can share the same scars he had suffered from his sacrifice during the war. If his blood spilled, hers would too.

Then maybe he can finally understand. They are connected past titles. No matter how much she tried, she already knew words couldn't sate him. He was in awe when she took his hand and they left everything behind.

So Hinata would wait until the time was right.

"I thought we deserved nicer rooms," she said. A large skylight over the master bed because she knew Neji loved the sight of the sky. It was the only other thing that could hold his attention for long hours. According to him, he appreciated the gesture but disliked the exposure. She knew it without him even saying it. "This is an ordinary city," she reminded him and gently led him to it. "I thought you'd like it."

"Hinata," he sighed and it was filled of things he would never say but it made her heart full. He kissed her; it was different from their usual kisses and Hinata was relieved that he understood.

…

Neji was coming to a realization that he found a place in her heart. The signs were all there; her constant touches, her too-carefree laughs, the way she said his name.

It wasn't Hinata Hyuuga, the heiress, with him. It was truly just Hinata. He dismissed her willingness the first time because she needed to escape. He also didn't want to mistake her gratitude for love.

They were already comfortable sharing kisses. It was inevitable it did go further, when they were comfortable with the press of their naked skin and intimate touches, but Neji drew the line at her virginity. She deserved better than old sheets and adrenaline-fueled runs.

He didn't know if he was remarkably impressed or troubled at his body's adjustment. He was used to it, but it didn't erase the unfulfillment even if Hinata helped. Neji didn't consider his love an unhealthy obsession or unseemly fixation, as the Elders liked to whisper. It was the way he loved. He just needed her acceptance and she freely gave it.

If there wasn't any obstacle in their way, Neji feared she couldn't have begun to love him. He was ruthless, always too focused on her, and there were few people willing to stay in his company. For how long they could stay together, he didn't know. There was still his possible banishment. The Elders could still plan for her marriage. Their inevitable separation loomed and Neji mourned the day as it approached.

But when she takes his hand and leads him to the bed, he decided it didn't matter.

His body engulfed hers and when he kissed her, he knows her heart could only belong to him now. They lay on the softest bed so far in their journey. He was ashamed he couldn't provide her such simple luxuries. "Somewhere tropical," she murmured sleepily.

"We'll go south."

As Neji watched the stars, he prayed to any deity listening to grant them happiness.

…

The fight was going very bad.

They needed to retreat. The land was barren and the closest village was a few miles out. Neji wasn't confident he could support them both. A crazed nin that ambushed them was furiously attacking and he matched her blows. She was hard to take down and even their combined skills couldn't wear her out.

He thought her clan was eliminated in the war. Once he realized it, he tried leading Hinata away but the nin disappeared from sight and the Byakugan couldn't completely stop her. They were being hunted. "Contact!" he shouted and Hinata immediately sprinted to his direction, her hands charged with chakra.

Neji fought her at the front and he would have been impressed by her tenacity. He sharply leaned away and kicked her feet, but she slashed down at Hinata the same time. He quickly moved in and shoved Hinata away from a fatal stab and she dashed to recover. They faced each other. "Hyuuga," she taunted. "I've killed many of you."

She reached for a small metal tool. But as it extended, dread filled him when it was a large, multisided weapon, its radius terrifying and with a swiftness that rivaled his, threw it towards Hinata.

He ran. She nicked him in the leg and there were multiple shouts, but still he persevered and tried intercepting it. "Hinata!"

She whipped around. He couldn't stop it in time.

Their bodies slammed together and Neji gritted, taking the force as it ripped through him. The world blurred and his body was heavy. Hinata gasped and though his vision flickered, blood slid down her lips and her pain-filled eyes met his.

Over her shoulder, he could see the tip protruding from her back. They fell. There was nothing he could do to lessen the impact. The hard ground tore through them. Neji nearly blacked out. She was breathing in short bursts, the pain evident on her face. It destroyed him.

He tried pushing himself away, but was afraid the pressure lodging in her blood would cause her death.

Then they were lifted and separated with a saw of chakra and medics took over.

...

It happened so fast.

One moment they were breathing when suddenly they weren't. A tight pressure seized her lungs. She tried to see but darkness was taking over her sight and she couldn't feel anymore. "Hinata-sama, hang on," an unfamiliar voice urged and blood gurgled her words. Hinata coughed wetly, something white hot eating her from the inside.

"What about this one?" another voice said.

"Leave him."

_Neji!_

Hinata panicked.

She couldn't lift her hands to call for their attention. "Our priority is Hinata-sama." She was surrounded and she was healing, but she couldn't talk. One of them was going to die. _Please, save Neji_, she pleaded, hoping she could convey it but they were avoiding her eyes. "We have to move her to transfuse blood. Natsu, clean it before it's infected."

_No!_

Hinata wildly tried to struggle and they pinned her limbs. "Stop fighting it, Hinata-sama. We're trying to help." Everything was hurting and her world was darkening. Was he alone? Did he already pass away? Hinata cried. "Hinata-sama, I know it hurts. Please bear with it."

She came to a decision the next second. "Hinata-sama!" one shouted frantically. "Don't do it!"

Chakra deprivation and blood loss already claimed too much damage. Her remaining chakra blocked out the healing stream invading her body. There wasn't much left in her, but it was enough to slow her heart. She just needed to fight them. "Hinata-sama!"

"Neji," she finally choked out. "Save Neji."

Silence and Hinata could feel her lungs struggle to inhale. "Attend to him!" Iroha barked out. "Now! Hinata-sama, please, you need to live."

She couldn't trust them. "Him too," she stuttered, almost giving out.

The ground crunched and thudded and it was loud in the pounding of her ears. "See to it that he doesn't die. Or Hinata-sama will," Kou's voice said though she wasn't sure.

"Fuck! Hoheto, I need you to dislodge it while I block the flow."

"Hinata-sama, please!"

She would not.

"We need to force her to breathe. Get me a syringe."

The light was dying in her eyes.

Kou came into view. "I promise you, Hinata-sama. We won't lose him. So please live."

They couldn't understand that Neji was just as important. They planned on abandoning him and it forced her hand. She fought the medication until, "Hinata," a very weak voice rasped somewhere near her. Tears clouded her eyes. He was still alive. Hinata let her body go and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"He lives," Natsu confirmed when she woke.

Hinata winced. Breathing was painful. "Is anyone…with him?"

"Hanabi-sama visits," the caretaker assured. "He isn't alone, Hinata-sama."

She mixed a brew that Hinata couldn't taste as she dutifully drank. Hinata found she didn't have the strength to sit up. "Where?" she breathed.

She considered her next words. "I am sorry, Hinata-sama. Hiashi-sama prohibited you two to meet until he sorts everything."

Hinata turned her face away and the nin quietly slipped out.

The last she remembered was seeing Neji's face contorted in pain and she wept through the night.

…

His daughter finally returned, struggling to live. His brother's son, barely alive. He received the report with surprising calm. "They'll live," Iroha assured with a hard stare. "Hinata-sama refused treatment until Neji was also saved. We retrieved their belongings if you'd like to look through it, Hiashi-sama."

Even death couldn't part them. They'd join each other in a heartbeat and it was a tragic revelation that one couldn't live without the other, Hiashi thought sorrowfully. He allowed their closeness before their departure, knowing the engagement was the cause of his daughter's unhappiness. If they continued the affair, Hiashi would forever ignore it. He didn't expect Neji to take drastic measures. When Kou reported her refusal to return, Hiashi knew there was only one way to resolve this.

"How is Hinata?" he had asked after Kou returned the first time.

"She is very well," he admitted. "More so than I've ever seen her." When he asked why she wasn't back, Kou demurely replied, "Once she is ready to face you, Hiashi-sama."

"Neji?"

The nin shifted on his feet. "He wasn't with her," he said. "But he was in the area."

He was clever just like his father, Hiashi thought. Having deluded other clansmen and halting Kou's retrieval attempts, Neji placed importance on Hinata's needs. He only hoped there was something to show of what they discovered in their journey.

Now his eldest daughter sat, supported by a backrest and her long sleeves artfully covered the bindings. Neji was on the other side, the bandages wrapped around his body evident beneath the casual robe. He then allowed the divider between them to be taken away. It was short weeks since their separation, but they drank in the sight of each other. Hiashi stood. "You abandoned the clan," he said. There was no need to prolong a speech; they were still struggling to hide the pain. And they were going to face the consequences of their actions without his telling so he declared right there and then, "You will marry by the end of the week."

Her mouth parted and Neji sharply looked to him. "Father?"

"It's unfortunate, but our laws dictate you can only become clan Head if you take a spouse. That's why I didn't object to your previous engagement." The disbelief in Neji's face made Hiashi pause. "It's clear to me, Hinata, that you'll only accept one man to be your husband."

"But–" she said and Neji flinched. "This is too sudden. I haven't been officially accepted." She hesitated. "There's no time for Neji to consider it."

Hiashi regarded him critically. "He already took you away once, Hinata. You will atone for your mistakes no matter what you feel."

Neji bowed his head and there was something sad about it. "Forgive me, Hiashi-sama."

"As long as Hinata is safe," he said and noticed his nephew's body tense. "I won't look past your actions just because you will be my son-in-law."

"Yes, Hiashi-sama."

To his daughter he said, "You've already wasted time. This is for the best."

He didn't tell them the Elders already tried banishing Neji. Hiashi simply didn't allow it. When they tried arranging another marriage for Hinata, Hiashi interfered once more. They were blinded by pride and he no longer tolerated it.

They shared a stare that Hiashi didn't want to witness and hoped their joining could survive the unforgiving ways of fate.

…

Their union wasn't celebrated and it was a dull ceremony full of traditions.

They stand before each other, the marriage bed between them. Neji wasn't oblivious; she was just as nervous and the shy glances that came his way maddened him. It was exactly what he dreamed of for years, but it wasn't the way he wanted to achieve it. She flinched when he dropped onto the bed and the quiet sigh that emerged only made her tense.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," he rasped, voice rough. "I didn't think this would happen."

It was the best of a worst situation but Hinata feared Neji would take it the wrong way. "I don't mind," she ventured timidly and settled next to him. "I only trust you, Neji. I…I'd have chosen you if I could," she confessed and he met her eyes.

"My wife," he said and shook his head. "How are you?"

They shared the same scars on their body and it was better than any ring on their fingers. "It hurt," she said and Neji looked away.

"I heard you," he said. "You saved my life, Hinata."

She couldn't see his face. "I couldn't," her voice shook, "I couldn't stand it if you…"

One arm slowly extended towards her and Hinata moved in carefully, her own wounds still healing. "Neither could I."

She chanced a look up and there was something in his eyes that made her emotional. It was deep and raw, completely unmasked and she realized Neji was just as frightened. "I'm sorry I wasn't with you." She had stared at the ceiling and there was an occasional helper to assist her. Neji might have done it all by himself. "Is this okay, Neji?" It was too simple a question, considering their circumstances.

"We'll get through it together, Hinata."

Her heart pounded hard. "Neji, I–"

"I know. You already know how I feel about you."

His mouth found hers. It was slow and deep, unlike their chaste kiss when they were proclaimed husband and wife. "Love you," she murmured, wanting to finish it and Neji finally whispered it by her ear. It was their first night together and though Hinata wanted to seek pleasure to escape from the world they were trapped in, Neji closed his arms around her instead.

They could take it day by day.

* * *

_The following year and beyond..._

Hinata sat outside. In her hands was a small box of mementos from their travels. There was a scarf she kept from the frozen islands, an extra key that Neji swiped after an unforgettable night, a strange ornament in another and a pair of metal chopsticks from a roadside vendor they ate from after running for days. It gave her a measure of peace.

There were too many problems. The clan didn't trust them then and even now, they still didn't.

Their first month of marriage already had an Elder trying to tear them apart. "They haven't consummated their marriage yet," he boldly declared. "There's still leeway to replace Neji and provide a more suitable husband that will improve Hinata-sama's reputation."

Hinata still reddened in anger to this day. Neji was ridiculed though it was quickly silenced. "Our marriage cannot be undone," she said.

They hadn't had sex at that point, but that didn't need to be disclosed and the accusation was quickly dismissed. If the clan was sure about one thing, it was that Neji was madly in love with her and now that they were husband and wife, there was nothing stopping him. They were thrust into a new territory and it was weeks until they finally made love. Neji's guilt for failing to protect her was one reason for his reluctance. He fell to his bandaged knees before her, telling her, "I don't deserve you." They were broken when they came together and it was the only comfort they had.

It wasn't easy. They were grounded to Konoha, not that they could accept any missions. It was painful to walk sometimes and Neji occasionally lost feeling in his hands. The clan cleverly concealed their runaway attempt and Konohamaru kept his promise of silence. All that was left was to answer questions of their concerned friends: "What happened? Can you recover fully? What about your team?"

And then news of their wedding broke out. "You're married?" they exclaimed. What followed after was a series of accusations. "Why didn't you tell us? When did this happen? Is your father forcing you?" they barraged endlessly.

It was completely arranged and yes, they were already in love. Their mission just hastened the date, they were told. They nearly died and wanted to be joined in marriage so they couldn't plan a large gathering. It explained their wounds and it was taken with sympathy and congratulatory shouts. Only Naruto knew and Neji engaged him in a long discussion she didn't hear. She long buried the guilt though Neji probably had no qualms about the lies. She consoled herself by some truths; they were in love. "No, Hinata is not pregnant," Neji had said exasperatedly.

There were problems that came after. It was inevitable they'd meet her former fiancé.

They were left alone most of the time; Neji wasn't bothered by it though she had a feeling he was agitated about her standing. Hinata couldn't blame them. She did betray their trust and as the next clan Head, she needed to regain it. Except she did not anticipate Neji's next actions.

She thought her former fiancé was a gentle man but whatever he said incited Neji into a rage he still wouldn't explain. They were separated by the time Hinata rushed over. She could see the fear in their eyes as Neji, still not completely healed, successfully downed a healthy man. The men restraining him nearly lost their hold until she appeared and only then did Neji stop. She banished the other man to the furthest part of the compound and spent the day finding answers while Neji recovered.

"Set an example," she was then told. "You must show the clan you have no tolerance for those who break our laws. Even your husband."

It was all because he was part of the Main House and Neji was still considered a Branch member. She was sure she broke laws too, but Hiashi looked the other way. "So they know you're not weak," he regretfully agreed.

Neji raised his head proudly and didn't falter when she triggered the mark's punishment. That night, he requested to sleep in separate rooms. The same night, Hinata began to write a proposal. The next day, it was revealed that she wanted to abolish the hierarchy. Neji returned to her and Hinata decided to take the day off. Her plan took a while to come into effect.

The clan members were still not used to its changes. Hinata supposed future generations will better adjust. She was still consulting with her counsel for the hated mark. All of its members so there will be no sacrifices? But there's a chance of abuse. There was abuse even before she abolished it, Hinata argued. A rite of passage then, they questioned. There was still time for consideration.

While she was now accustomed to her role, her duties included meetings outside of Konoha. Given what they did, Hiashi was reluctant to let her attend and ordered a small army's worth to accompany her. Neji was left in Konoha. The next time, she didn't want to be separated from Neji. "I can't," she explained.

Her father was relieved. "And why is that, Hinata?" he asked, already thinking of Hanabi.

"It'll be hard to travel," she said and meaningfully ran a hand down her stomach. When he found his voice, it was unusually shaky as he congratulated her and Hinata suspected there were tears, but he turned away.

Neji was completely astonished when she first told him. She was surprised he didn't expect it, given their daily vigorous lovemaking. He was concerned she was feeling unwell from stress and didn't think of it. "Hinata?" he had asked restlessly.

She smiled and guided his hand to her stomach.

He froze and stared at her like she was one of the wonders of the world. He choked out a, "Are you sure, Hinata?" the wish in his eyes true. She confirmed it. He carefully gathered her in his arms and they were left alone for the remainder of the day. In the comfort of their quarters, Neji was gently running his hands over her. "When did you see a doctor?" he asked suddenly.

"Last week," she said proudly. It was a miracle to sneak in a medic without him knowing.

"Did he leave in the early afternoon?"

She looked at him worriedly. "Yes. But how–"

"I suppose I'll have to apologize," was all he said and Hinata would later find out the medic's sudden reluctance to assist her and suggest another in his place. She thanked him anyway for not divulging anything.

She was rounder and walked funny in the late months. Naruto mentioned it to her once and received a powerful fist to the face by her imposing husband. As much as Hanabi was excited, she steered clear near the expected date, knowing Neji had a habit of growling veiled threats often. It felt less suffocating now that the clan knew she was with child.

While she was caught in the throes of pain after her water broke, she didn't scream, much to Neji's confusion. The labor was hard and Neji was barred from entering after complications arose. Hanabi would later say he paced the floors and when offered a chair, used it as an outlet for his nerves. He stormed in once he heard a baby's cries and shrugged off the nurse trying to herd him out. "Hinata," Hanabi heard him say in wonder. "I hear our son. Are you…?"

"Fine," she gasped. He immediately went to her side, and watched the doctor clean and swaddle him. To Neji's irritation, the same nurse tried pushing his shoulder. "Go see him," she said tiredly while they attended to her after the birth. In-between glances, she saw Neji hold their son with reverence. "Not now," he told the nurse asking for a name, not even looking up. He went to Hinata and she was teary when she finally held him. "Hello," she murmured, brushing a finger that their baby caught in his small fist.

Nothing was perfect, but that moment was worth everything they suffered.

She heard footsteps coming closer.

"Hinata."

Neji slowly came into view, his hair growing longer again. It was longer than hers, Hinata thought. It was cut from long ago as further punishment. He never talked about it, but Hinata felt his dismay then. Now that Naruto was Hokage, Neji was allowed to take assignments. It was fewer than his heavier load from before, but now he had more reason to come home alive.

She smiled when he carefully handed over their fussy newborn. "Our son wants you. I've already changed him and he refuses the pacifier," he said darkly, frustrated at his inability to calm him.

She parted her robe and brought him closer to her breast. "He just needs to feed," Hinata assured.

Neji sat beside her, shuffling through the small box. "You kept this?" he asked, lifting a small pinwheel toy he won for her during a town's festival. He stashed it back after a quick glance confirmed the baby's hands trying to grasp it and he paused when he found a plastic ring. It was a drunken night, if he remembered correctly and didn't think she still had it. He stared at the gold band on her ring finger, a replacement once they got past the heartache in the beginnings of their marriage.

He had planned on proposing properly. He attempted to recreate a private ceremony with their vows, by the help of the newly appointed Hokage, when it blew into a large celebration with their peers, much to Neji's ire and Hinata's embarrassment. He endured all the pats and shoves, teases and shouts because Hinata deserved all the attention. It didn't go as planned – it lasted all night and Neji woke next to his sleeping wife. Since he couldn't recreate their wedding night, then the morning was fine too.

She adjusted her hold as the infant squirmed. "Are there any problems?"

Their son gurgled in question, already full. Neji gently extracted a fist he was trying to fit into his mouth and muttered a silky, "Yes." Someone was now contesting the line of successors to be clan Head. "I'll take care of it." He burst into gleeful giggles when Neji cracked his knuckles as he went off to personally deal with it while Hinata cooed to him.

They were still taking it day by day.

* * *

**FIN**

I didn't want to write long-winding angst and drama again, so I think the epilogue came out nicely. There's so much potential with this pairing and it gets my mind running. Edited, rewrote, deleted some lines so it flows better from previous chapters. I'm pretty satisfied with the ending. You're all very sweet and lovely. Thanks for reading!


End file.
